


Is This What You'd Call A Meet Ugly?

by nephilimswitchlight



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, CEO Alec Lightwood, M/M, Meet-Cute, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, interior decorator Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nephilimswitchlight/pseuds/nephilimswitchlight
Summary: The last thing Magnus needed was to get cocoa all over his outfit right before the start of a new, huge job. Though in retrospect he probably could have handled it better. Especially when it turned out that the man he had just screamed at was his new employer. His new, incredibly attractive, employer.Continuation of Chapter 16 in my story A Little Bit of Malec Magic.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 14
Kudos: 161





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! So as the summary says, this is a continuation of chapter sixteen of my Malec holiday fic. There was a lot of interest in that chapter, and I was more than happy to continue it! The first half of this chapter is a slightly edited version of that chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Magnus absolutely hated being late. Especially when he was late to meet a client. Even more when it was the client of a lifetime. Being the interior designer for the new Apollo Technologies building would be huge, and he could not let his frazzled nerves ruin it for him. 

Though, he was pretty sure that it wasn’t going to be his nerves, but the clumsiness of a man literally right before the new skyscraper that would ruin his day. The sad thing about it too, had they not met like they did Magnus would have absolutely been all for asking him out. Instead of an adorable meet cute though, he ends up with cocoa all over his brand new outfit. 

It happened so quickly, Magnus wasn’t even entirely sure how it had truly occurred. One moment he was turning to enter the building, the next the tall brunette with his eyes on his phone stumbled causing the cocoa in his hand to fly forward and crash into Magnus’s chest. 

The man looked up with wide eyes and a gasp. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry!”

“You’re sorry!” Magnus screeched, hands pulling his top away from his skin with an angry glower. “You’re kidding me! I have the meeting of a lifetime, and because you’re too busy staring at your phone you ruined my outfit, and likely my chances of getting the job! And you're _sorry!_ What the hell kind of self centered, ignoramous are you!”

The man’s hazel eyes went wide as he glanced from Magnus to the building behind them. After he seemed to get over whatever shock he was feeling he asked softly, “Are you Magnus Bane?”

Magnus glowered. He wanted to cross his arms, but he couldn’t because his shirt and jacket were ruined because of this asshole and there was no where he was going to press the material even deeper into his skin. To make the situation worse, aforementioned asshole apparently know his name.This was exactly what he needed today. “And how the hell do you know that?”

“Uhm.” he blushed and raised a hand to rub at the back of his neck. “Well, I’m who you’re meeting? At least I think I am? I’m Alexander Lightwood. And I’m so sorry about your outfit! It seems really expensive and you look way too good in it for it to have been ruined like that. I mean, not that that's the only reason I'm sorry!”

Magnus’s jaw dropped and then he gave a heavy groan, the sound interrupting what seemed almost like a nervous rant. Of course he was Alexander Lightwood, the CEO of the company he was trying to work for. “Of fucking course you are.” he muttered to himself before giving the man an apologetic and almost distraught look. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Lightwood. I can give you the names of a few other designers? Catarina Loss is excellent.”

“No! No, don’t be sorry! You didn’t do anything wrong! I probably would have yelled at me too. I really don’t want another designer.” he flushed and glanced down towards his phone before waving it as if to illustrate his next point. “My sister says you’re the best, and seeing some of the places you’ve done I absolutely agree. If you still want to do it, I’d be more than happy to have you work with us.”

“You’re serious?”

He nodded as a small grin began to grace his lips. “Absolutely.”

“Even though I yelled at you?”

“Especially because you yelled at me.” he gave Magnus a smile. “Like I said, I’d have yelled at me too. It was absolutely my fault and I am really sorry about this whole thing, I hope I didn’t burn you?”

“No, no not at all.” Magnus had no idea what to say. Today was not at all going how he thought it was going to. He had been expecting to have to grovel and prove he was the best. Now though, he just gets the job on the spot, even after yelling at the CEO? Was this real life or was he dreaming?

“You’re not dreaming.” 

Magnus couldn’t help but to flush in embarrassment at the other man's soft words. Of course he was mumbling to himself. Because that’s how his day was going. Lightwood just smiled though, as if Magnus hadn’t done anything but make a fool of himself from the moment they met. 

“I’m glad I didn’t actually hurt you.” he remarked and then gave him a charming smile. “So, since I was actually texting you when I tripped to let you know I was running late and wouldn't at all mind a bit of time to get organized myself, would you like to run home, change, and come back in a couple hours? Especially since this was all my fault and there is no way sticky chocolate coated clothes can be comfortable. I can walk you through the building then and you can let me know what ideas you have?”

“Yes! Absolutely. Thank you, Mr. Lightwood. I promise, my next first impression will be so much better.”

“I kinda like this first impression. Strong willed is one of my favorite traits, and you have that in spades.” He gave him a blindingly beautiful smile before adding, “ And please, its Alec.”

“Alec.” Magnus hoped his voice didn’t come out as breathy as he felt. “I’ll see you in an hour? I can be home and back in an hour.”

“An hour it is.” Alec gave him a warm smile and lifted a hand in a wave before entering his building. 

Magnus had no idea how he survived that meeting. Alec Lightwood was referred to by the media as Alexander the Great of the 21st Century, or even the Emperor of Innovation. He was known as being brilliant in both engineering and business, as well as having a reputation for being ruthless. Magnus had been expecting a solemn, almost strict man of business. Not the beautiful, open faced, flirty and kind man he had just met. He may have been in a bit of shock and disbelief that it had happened, even. 

One thing he knew for sure though was that if he continued to be as smiley and flirtatious as he was in just those few minutes, Magnus was unsure he could get through working for him. He was far too much of a temptation. Though Magnus wasn’t about to turn down an opportunity like this, both the job and the chance to get to know Alexander better. He would have to wait, see and hope for the best. He was sure he just had to get through this first day with him and all would be fine. 

He hurried home and rushed through changing. He wanted to be as fast as possible, making sure to take almost exactly an hour to once again be standing before the towering Manhattan skyscraper. He had changed into an even more appealing purple shirt with a form fitting black vest over it, though it had nothing to do with standing out to his gorgeous new employer. They just so happend to both make him look amazing and be his favorite combination. He had even traded his jacket out for his favorite trench and felt a far higher feeling of peace over him. Not just from being in comfort clothes, but no longer having a time crunch hanging over his head. Coming in without the anxiety of being late was already changing his entire perception of the day. 

Without being in a hurry, not only was he more at ease, but he was also able to take in the elegant spiraling beauty of Apollo Technologies’ new building. He knew that Alexander had had it designed for his business specifically, but that the lower twenty floors he rented out for charities at an incredibly reduced, to even no, price. It had been a major story when he had made the announcement, and one of the many things about the man that had driven Magnus’s want to be his designer. Now that he had said job, especially with the interaction from earlier, he felt almost in a daze. 

With a deep breath and squaring of his shoulders, he grabbed the curved bronze handle and pulled the glass open. As he entered the building, his mouth fell open slightly in surprise by how beautiful the entrance was. 

The foyer was bare, which he wasn’t surprised by, but even empty had a classy air. It was hexagonal with the back wall separated from the main entrance by a series of five columned, attached arches. Behind the center arch was a modern spiral staircase with thick white banisters. Each of the other arches framed four chestnut elevators with a swirling golden liner. The outer wall was all glass with the rest painted a soft cream with a fancy baseboard. The floors were a gleaming white and golden swirled marble. Hanging from the ceiling in a triangular indent was a dangling chandelier made of golden triangles. Under the lights and centered in the room was a smooth elegant white circular desk that Alexander was currently leaning against. 

“Magnus! Right on time, very punctual.” the CEO greeted with a wide grin and little wink, causing Magnus to let out a small laugh. 

He smiled and gave a little shrug as he stopped before the other man. “I did say that I wanted to make a better first impression.”

“Well, if this is our first time meeting,” he held out a large callused hand, “then it is very nice to meet you. I’m Alexander Lightwood and am very happy to have you.”

“Thank you, Alexander. I’m Magnus Bane and I am very happy to be here.” he shook Alec’s hand and then glanced around the foyer. “So this is a nice building you have here.”

He beamed. “Thank you! Don’t worry though, you won't have to decorate each floor. The foyer is the most important, and the entrance areas for the legal and R&D floors, the offices as well as all the restrooms. The charity floors have their own contracts.”

“Just those?” Magnus raised a surprised eyebrow and Alec made an almost scrunched face as he shook his head. 

“Well, the offices are technically ten floors. The legal is two, and most of the R&D is labs so there is only one floor that needs your magic touch since there shouldn’t be too much decoration in the lab areas. Fire hazards, you know? My office floor is also totally bereft of anything remotely close to attractive so there is that as well.”

“Well, it does have you.” Magnus remarked almost instinctively and then inhaled sharply with a widening of his eyes. Of course he went and flirted with his new boss literally seconds into his employment. 

Alexander though flushed bright red and gave him a little grin. “I guess you can count me, if you want. Gotta say though, you outshine me by quite a bit.”

Magnus grinned with a faint blush of his own at Alec’s response. “Thank you, that is the best compliment I’ve heard all day. No worries, I am more than happy to make your office as beautiful as you are.”

He blushed even darker and rubbed the back of his neck with an almost shy grin. “ Also, I was wondering, even though the contract you originally received was just for the business floors, if you wouldn’t mind adding my apartment upstairs to it as well? I’d really like to get out of my parents’ guest house.”

“You live in your parents’ guest house?” Magnus asked, eyes widening. He would have never in a million years thought that self made billionaire Alec Lightwood would live with his parents. 

The brunette blushed again and shrugged. “I bought it for my mom when Apollo Tech really took off. She was a little peeved I didn’t get myself a place or a nice headquarters first, she insisted I stay  
in the guest place as I built the company up so I could get my dream going sooner without having to pay on anything else. This building is a place I’ve pictured since I was a kid. She wanted me to be able to bring it to life. I’m grateful of course, but I’d really like my own space now that she’s remarried.”

Magnus raised an impressed brow. That was a surprise. Most every ultra rich client he had ever met wasn’t concerned about fiscal responsibility, or even financially helping their parents. He was curious how different Alexander really was from all of them and asked, “And you didn’t once think to just raise your salary?”

Alec’s hazel eyes went wide and he gave a firm shake of his head. “Never. I actually am really uncomfortable with how much I make as is. We didn’t grow up with a lot, and I refuse to pay a single one of my employees less than a comfortable living wage. I know how hard that can be on a family, on anyone.”

Magnus wanted to groan. This man was just far too good for words. “In that case, I would love to do your apartment as well.” It wasn’t a hard decision to make. An indeterminable amount of time in this brilliant man’s personal living space? How could he turn that down.

Alec beamed. “Thank you! I’ll make sure to get it added to your contract. It’ll be an additional pay, of course.”

“Oh, thank you. You don’t need to, though.”

“I insist.”

“Well if you insist.” he grinned at the other man and then swept an arm around them. “I know I insinuated before, but I have to make sure you know how absolutely beautiful this foyer is. It’ll be a delight to decorate and bring to life. What was your inspiration for it?”

“I wanted to take kind of a modern feel of Greek architecture. Since we’re a technology corporation, I wanted it to feel futuristic while still keeping it classy.”

“And keeping with your personal nickname as well as the company name.” Magnus remarked, causing the other man to groan and blush faintly. 

“My sister takes credit for starting that ‘Alexander the Great thing’, mostly because I’ve always loved the Mesopotamian and Greek histories and myths. I may have been slightly enamored with Apollo as a teen, which might be why I named my company after him.”

“What was he the god of?”

“A lot. Most importantly to me was archery. It’s the only sport I can do in any capacity.” he laughed and gave a little shrug. “For the company though, he was also the god of light and prophecy. I didn’t want to just use my name like a lot do, I figured prophecy would be technology and light would be me.”

“I like that.” Magnus gave him a wide grin. “When you talk about it, I can tell how much this company is your baby.”

He gave another small shrug. “It kind of is. I was always an antisocial kid, tinkering and improving things has always been my passion. I never thought it would turn into this though.”

“What you’ve made is amazing. You should be proud.”

Another delectable blush covered Alexander’s cheeks. “Thank you, Magnus. So should you. I looked at your portfolio while you were gone, and everything you’ve ever touched has turned into a work of art. I’m so glad you’re still willing to work with me. I know you can make Apollo into the beauty I’ve always pictured.”

“Willing? Alexander, I am _ecstatic_ to work with you.” Magnus reached out and set a hand on the other man’s upper arm for a moment. “This building will be a dream come true for the both of us.”

Alec caught his hand as he dropped it from the brunette’s arm and held it firmly in his own. He even lifted his other hand to clasp Magnus’s darker one between both of his. “Thank you, Magnus. I’m pretty ecstatic too.”

The look in his eyes was so warm and open, almost shining in their sincerity. Forget what he had thought before his quick run home. With Alec’s pure heart and brilliant mind on top of his absolutely enthralling looks, there was no way Magnus was going to survive this job.


	2. Chapter 2

The first part that Alexander had him work on was the man’s apartment, which Magnus absolutely understood. He was also very ecstatic about it because it gave him ample time to get to know his employer more. 

The first day was spent going through hundreds of catalogs with the CEO, and it took way longer than it should have because Alexander, it turned out, was a  _ talker _ . Not only that, but he actively encouraged Magnus to be as well. 

He asked questions all the time, from things like “What style is your home?” and “How did you get into interior design?” Magnus answered everything the man wanted to know easily, especially because Alec would answer anything he asked in return. 

When Magnus asked him when he knew he wanted to create technology, he gave him a shy smile that Magnus was instantly smitten with. “Well, like I said when we met, I’ve always been a tad antisocial. Kids didn’t really like me, so I never played team sports or went to slumber parties or whatever. I would though, mess with things around the house. I would improve alarm clocks, watches, even our microwave.When I started high school it progressed to building my own things entirely.”

“So it's just something you have always enjoyed?” Magnus had asked and Alec nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah, I like finding ways to improve life for everyone. I also try and do it in the most cost efficient way you know? And in areas that it just isn’t feasible, I still want it available to more than just the rich, which is why I have multiple charities to get phones, computers, and other things that are growing more and more necessary in this day and age to people who need help getting them.”

Another thing that Alec had no difficulty talking about was his family and growing up in poverty. It was something that Magnus admired about him, especially having grown up on the far higher side of well off. Alec wasn’t ashamed of his origins, the opposite in fact. He was proud of his family and where he came from. 

It was a feeling that Magnus wished he could relate to. When Alec had asked about his family he had given an awkward, almost embarrassed shrug. “Uhm, well my mom died when I was young and my father and I don’t get along. My family is basically my business partner Catarina and our friend Ragnor.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” Alec had told him with a soft smile. “I don’t get along with my dad either, he’s never really been comfortable with me being gay and left not long after my baby brother was born. My brother Jace is adopted too, so I absolutely understand found family.”

It wasn’t just heavier conversations about work and family that they shared. One night when the shipment of furniture for Alec’s bedroom was really late, Alec offered for him to stay and eat with him. It turned into a discussion about favorite foods, and Magnus was delighted to find out how much they both enjoyed sushi. 

“When I first had it, I was pretty sure I was going to hate it.” Alec told him while expertly brandishing the chopsticks. “Raw fish just seemed so daunting. I’m glad I gave it a try though, because it’s delicious.”

Alec turned out to like many of the same foods as Magnus, most of his favorites were on the more exotic side, though he admitted that he had never tried Magnus’s native Indonesian.

“Oh, you have to!” Magnus had exclaimed when he told him. “It is so good! Though I may just be biased.”

“Where is the best place in the city?”

“Well, personally, I’ve never found a place that I like as much as the food I make myself.”

“You cook?” 

“Quite well, if I do say so myself.”

“I’m jealous.” Alec gave an exaggerated sigh. “I have never been able to cook anything more than easy things. In and out of the oven or things like pasta and mashed potatoes that just need boiled.”

“Is that why you seem to live on take out?” Magnus had teased and Alec laughed and gave a little self deprecating shrug. 

“You caught me.”

One day while Magnus was working on Alec’s living room, the man himself came in looking haggard. He smiled at Magnus and dropped himself into the new maroon plush armchair that Magnus had just situated. He turned away from where he was studying the wall and its art placement to give him a questioning look. “You okay there, Alexander?”

“I hate board meetings. I hate my board. I hate angry old men who think I should be a greedy little money grabbing bastard.” he groaned his head collapsing onto the back of his chair. “I hate the red tape CEO bullshit.”

“Sounds like you’ve had a hard day.” Magnus remarked with a frown. “You look like you really need a vacation.”

“Can’t, our new smart watch comes out in the new year and I have to make sure everything is going smoothly. Besides, I don;t even know where I would go or what I would do.”

“Never been on a vacation?” Magnus asked in shock and he shook his head. 

“No. I’ve only ever left New York because of Apollo Tech expanding. I’m not sure I even know how to have a vacation.”

“Alexander, you’re going to run yourself ragged.” Magnus said softly. 

He shrugged. “I know. Izzy and mom keep telling me the same thing.” he lifted his head and met Magnus’s eyes with a questioning look. “Where do you like going on vacation?”

“Well,” he thought for a moment, “I’d say a train ride through Europe would be beautiful, relaxing and informative. Have you ever thought about going to Greece? Seeing it first hand?”

Alec gave a gentle smile and his eyes went soft. “That would be really nice.”

“When you get a chance, you should really think about it.”

“Thanks, Magnus.” he glanced around the room again and his smile turned into a beaming grin. “This looks really nice, by the way Magnus. I’m so glad that you were the one to do this. You’ve made it feel like a home.”

“I just listened to you, Alexander.” he said as he sat onto the tufted ottoman in front of the other man. “All I did was bring your vision to life.”

“Well, if I had been in charge of it, it would basically be a couch and a bed and I’d have given up after that.” 

Magnus laughed and gave him a friendly pat on the knee. “Well, I’ll be thankful I’m here for both of us then, too. It would be a crime to allow this beautiful apartment to be so sparsely decorated.”

Within the two weeks that it took him to completely decorate Alec’s apartment, he had grown to really care for the other man. His physical attraction to him had grown exponentially into a full blown crush. It was impossible not to. Alec was so kind and gentle, he treated Magnus like a peer, like a friend. He was such an incredibly good person, with such a good heart, that it was hopeless for Magnus to resist developing feelings for him. 

He thought that maybe Alec was feeling the same for him, too. He caught the taller man watching him with an affectionate smile more than once. He had started giving Magnus gentle touches to the shoulder, and even pulled him into a tight hug on the day that he had finished his apartment. 

Which was why when he came in this morning, he was incredibly confused when Alec introduced him to his sister and said that he should go to her for things and opinions on the decor of his office floors and everything else Apollo related. He was even more confused when Alec had given him his normal wide smile and squeeze to his shoulder as he left back to his home office upstairs. 

Not that Isabelle wasn’t nice, because she really, really was, but he had thought that he would get to spend more time with Alexander. Was the CEO sick of him already? Did he decide he didn’t want to work with him anymore? Or was he just really busy?

He truly hoped that it was that he was just overwhelmed with the debut of his new watch. With the holidays over, he was even more pressed to have everything perfect by the first. Magnus really didn’t think that Alec would be the kind of person to just decide he wanted nothing to do with him. He  _ really _ wasn’t the ghosting type.

He was still confused, and admittedly a little nervous. So as he and Isabelle finished going over what should be in the office spaces of Apollo’s big wigs, he asked gently, “Is Alexander okay? Is the watch getting to him?”

She gave him a friendly smile and nodded. “A little bit, but he’s okay. It’s really sweet that you’re worried about him.”

He was thankful for his dark complexion as he shrugged, and admittedly, blushed faintly. “It’s hard not to care about him after spending two weeks with him, you know?”

“Oh, I do for sure.” her eyes twinkled, and it left him with the impression that she knew something he didn’t, which just left him more confused. 

He was still confused, and maybe a little hurt even, as he left for the day. Which gave him a huge surprise when he found Alec sitting on the circular desk in the lobby. The moment he saw Magnus coming through the archway he beamed and jumped down. “Hey, Magnus!”

“Hi, Alexander.” he gave him a small smile as he met him beside the desk. 

“Did you have a good day? Was working with Izzy okay?”

“I did, your sister is really nice.” he assured him gently. His smile wavered though and he let out an exhale. “Though uh, I’m just confused why you want me to work with her? At least with your office, since its still your personal space.”

“Well,” Alec blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, “I wanted to make sure you liked her enough to switch your contract to be actually working for her, instead of me.”

“Why?” Magnus knew his voice was small, but he couldn’t stop the hurt that his question caused. 

“Because I can’t ask you to go out with me if you’re working for me.”

His mouth fell open at his reply for a moment before it was pulled into an immense grin. “Oh? And you want to ask me to go out with you?”

Alec nodded. “I’d like to, yes. If that would be something you’d be interested in?”

“That is something that I would be very, very interested in.” Magnus assured him as he took a step into Alec’s space. “What if I were to want to kiss you before we actually went on a date, is that something  _ you’d _ be interested in?”

“So much.” Alec assured firmly before surging forward and meeting Magnus’s lips firmly. 

He gasped and returned the kiss enthusiastically. He wrapped his arms around the slightly taller man’s neck and pulled him closer. Alec’s hands in turn reached up to cup his face, thumbs caressing his cheeks while their lips brushed together. 

When the kiss ended, Alexander didn’t pull away. He just opened his eyes, beautiful hazel gazing into Magnus’s deeply. “I’ve wanted to do that since I spilt hot chocolate all over you.” he admitted and Magnus laughed. 

“Well, I wanted to as soon as I no longer wanted to punch you.”

Alec laughed as well, his lips tilting up into a delighted grin. “I’m sorry if I worried you with Izzy. I just, I couldn’t go another day without asking you to go to dinner with me.”

“That’s okay, Alexander. This outcome was absolutely worth a bit of confusion.” he hesitated for a moment before asking,”So you want to go now?” Magnus looked down at his outfit with a frown. “I’m not really dressed for a date.”

“You look beautiful.” Alec swore vehemently. “If you really want to change, we can go by your place though.”

“You aren’t planning on taking me to some high end five star restaurant are you?”

“Not at all. I was thinking about showing you my favorite Thai place.”

“Then I suppose my outfit is good enough.” he reluctantly pulled away from Alec, but immediately tangled their fingers together. 

“I’ll try not to spill anything on it.” Alec remarked with a grin and he laughed. 

“Maybe I’d let you help me change this time.” he teased, his grin widening as a blush spread on Alec’s cheeks. 

Despite the blush, he gave a sly grin and replied cheekily, “That’s not really an incentive to keep my tea to myself.”

“Tea huh?”

“Thai iced tea is the best thing about Thai food.”

Even with the new romantic touches between them, their easy relationship didn’t change a bit. They bantered and chatted as they walked towards the restaurant, the only difference was the added benefit of being able to cuddle under Alec’s arm. 

It was the most amazing benefit possible though. Magnus had never thought that they would be here, despite the mutual attraction. He wasn’t sure why. He had assumed they would be friendly until the job was done and then go their separate ways. As he leaned his head on Alec’s shoulder, he couldn’t be more grateful for an outcome to a botched first meeting in his life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading everyone! That's all I have planned for this one, but if there is anything you'd like to see between this Alec and Magnus, feel free to let me know. I always love prompts. :) Hope to hear from you!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all very much for reading! Would love to hear from you as comments and kudos make my day!


End file.
